In order to put the protection of giant pandas and other wildlife under the law, the Chinese government put the protection of rare animals and plants into the Constitution. A set of laws, like the Forest Law, the Law on the Protection of Wildlife, The Environmental Protection Law have been made and passed. In 1987, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed an amendment to the Criminal Law, saying "smugglers of giant pandas shall have a punishment of at least a 10-year sentence and confiscation of property; under grave circumstances, life sentence or even death sentence together with a total confiscation of property shall be applied." These legislative measures have so far effectively protected giant pandas and other rare animals from human harm.
Besides, lawmakers in northwest China 's Shaanxi Province enacted a regional law on November 26, 2007 that is intended to improve protection of the Qinling Mountains , a habitat of endangered giant pandas. The law, which will take effect on March 1, 2008 is aimed at preserving biodiversity, preventing soil erosion and promoting harmony between human and nature in the mountain range, which is a divide between China's north and south. It requires all future development projects in the Qinling Mountains to be assessed for their possible impact on the ecology and bans real estate projects and polluting industries in nature reserves, where the ecology is more vulnerable.
All About Laws and regulations on environmental protection, Giant panda
(China.org.cn December 25, 2007)
